Sunday, July 17, 2016

Yan Ji Seafood Soup: As Good as It Gets

Yan Ji Seafood Soup has been around for more than 30 years and it is in the good hands of the 2nd generation now. Their main outlet is at Woodlands Centre Road Food Centre and they have just started a branch at Marsiling Lane in September 2014.

The prices for the seafood soup range from the normal one at $6 and $8 to those with crayfish or fish maw at $10 and $12, they also serve Braised Pork's Trotter at $7.00. Rice is available at 0.50 cents per bowl.

The main outlet at Woodlands Centre Road Food Centre is usually crowded during lunch and weekends, the waiting time could be as long as 45 minutes or even longer. My usual order whenever i am there is their medium portion of seafood soup which consists of 3 medium sized prawns that are served together with those minced pork chunks and several pieces of dory fish in the broth.

The prawns were notably fresh, its meat was rather firm and it peeled off the shells quite easily. Those chunky pieces of minced meat were nicely seasoned with quite a distinct dried flat fish flavor and bits of mushroom embedded in it, its texture was quite tender. I did not like those pieces of dory fish too much and its taste did not quite stand out. The crayfish tasted equally fresh and sweet, it is an interesting option to have it with the seafood soup. The broth was full-bodied and rich with a distinct sweetness, derived from simmering quality ingredients like dried Hokkaido scallops in it.

It is located at the same HDB block with Sin Kee Seafood Soup but in a much quieter coffee shop at the other corner. Their menu is the same with their main outlet in Woodlands Centre Road Food Centre. I was there during lunch but unlike their other outlet, there was no queue at all. I ordered exactly the same thing, which is the medium portion of seafood soup at $8.00.

It has also 3 pieces of medium sized prawns, few pieces of chunky minced meat and dory fish. It is more expansive as compared to the other 2 stalls in Marsiling Lane that is served with about the same portion at only $6.50 and that might the reason why there are most customers at the other 2 stalls. Though the ingredients were relatively fresh but the soup here was slightly clearer but less robust and not as flavorful as compared to their main outlet.